Lost In Her Wealthy Domain
by UnderstandablyMillie
Summary: A certain baroness and a certain charming sponge have known each other for quite some time... But how did they meet? Slight Baroness/Max. Idea inspired by the backstory of the two in eponnia's 'I Feel I Haven't Won At All'. I do not own the characters featured, nor do I own The Sound Of Music.
1. Chapter 1

Her hand trembled slightly as she grasped the railing. Any minute then, she was going to be presented in front of all those people. _All those people_. Every last one of them watching her every move with cold, critical eyes, judging any potential missteps or blunders. Normally, she loved being the center of attention. _Relished_ it, in fact. But today, on the day she had spent her whole life preparing for, she was scared. A part of her considered just stepping out instead of shrinking back into the shadows like a frightened child, speculating on everything that could possibly go wrong. But a bigger, stronger part of her told her to stay put. That she could stay a little longer to cherish her last few moments of youth before becoming the laughingstock of high society. It was funny that she never appreciated these moments when she had them, and only even recognized them as they were slipping from her fingertips.

A bitter, empty laugh escaped her at the thought and echoed down the dark hallway. There was no use prolonging the inevitable any longer, she decided. Besides, it wouldn't make a good first impression to be late to her first high-society ball. Everyone would judge her as a failure before she even had the chance to convince them of the fact herself. And with that, she lifted her silken skirts with one hand, and rested the other on the railing, trying to project an air of confidence as she glided down the steps.


	2. Chapter 2

She tried to keep her gaze slightly aloof and fixed on no one in particular, in the hopes that nobody would be able to see through her false confidence. But she couldn't help but feel that her facade barely did anything. It seemed to her that it thinly veiled her insecurities, but did nothing to make her feel any less vulnerable. However, she had to admit that it could have gone a lot worse, though the night was young and she still had lots of dancing and socializing left to do, all of which she had never done in this sort of setting. Perhaps she could say that she was not well, and leave early? But with a second thought, she decided against it. It wouldn't do her any good, as this was to be the first of many formal occasions to come, and people would surely start to talk if she were to weasel her way out of them all like some sort of coward. So she would have to go out and socialize, no matter what she may feel about it.

Gingerly, she stepped out into the crowd, still not sure what to say or who exactly to talk to, but still having made a decision that would better her life more so than just standing around. Well, at least she hoped it would.

But before she could decide who to talk to, a woman who seemed to be in her mid-fifties waltzed over to her. "You're Adalbert's niece, are you not?" she said, a large, yet artificial smile adorning her face. Elsa did not know this woman, but she nodded politely nonetheless. "Is that so?" the woman said. "Well in that case, I've heard wonderful things about you, in fact, I have a nephew about your age. Perhaps I should introduce the two of you." she said. "His name is Heinrich." she added, before heading off, leaving Elsa terrified, yet curious to know more.


	3. Chapter 3

Heinrich? Elsa thought again, becoming more accustomed to the thought of meeting this man, whoever he was. Perhaps he was interesting and outspoken, hopefully with a high-ranking title. Then again, he could be conceited and arrogant, but it really wouldn't matter. Her job was to marry up, and if marrying an egotistical snob meant becoming a Baroness or even a Countess, then so be it. Although she admittedly _would_ prefer a clever, witty sort, so she still silently hoped that he would possess those qualities.

She was immediately shaken out of her thoughts, however, by a young man that seemed to be roughly around her age, with dark hair and a mischievous smile. He wasn't dressed like any well-born guest, or a footman, either, so she deduced that he must have somehow slipped in unnoticed. Elsa felt her face twist into a slight scowl at the thought of such silly antics, and started to walk off, when she was interrupted by the peculiar young man in front of her. "Did you see Baron Von Wegberg? I've heard that he goes mad over any pretty little thing in a dress, and I certainly believe it! The girl hanging off his arm can't be older than a fifth his age!" At his comment, Elsa attempted to stifle a chuckle, but turned away as if looking for the aforementioned Baron Von Wegberg, in order to keep the young man in front of her from noticing her snickering. When she had stopped, she immediately turned back to the man in front of her with an icy glare. "It is awfully impertinent to criticize a Baron for his behaviour, when he has accomplished far more in his life than you could ever hope to accomplish in yours. And it is equally impertinent to talk to a lady before you've been introduced properly." she retaliated, before storming off, unable to believe the nerve of such a boy.


	4. Chapter 4

As Elsa was now out of the presence of the mischief-maker from earlier, she began to think more clearly. _He's disrespectful towards high-ranking people,_ she thought. _And he clearly has far too much time on his hands if he can slither into a debutante ball and waste his time collecting gossip. But he_ is _just a frivolous youth, and I refuse to let someone that I'll never see again take such importance on such a crucial night in my life._

But that didn't stop her from still feeling slightly angry. Angry at him for being right about Baron Von Wegberg, and even angrier at him for having the audacity to make her laugh. She was supposed to be prim and composed! And prim, composed debutantes did _not_ find such vulgar things to be funny. Suppose she wasn't destined to be such a debutante? _Oh, why does everything have to be so confusing?_ Elsa thought, as she moved around hastily, accidentally bumping into a milksop of a man and knocking him over.

Her eyes widened in shock as she took a few steps back. What was she supposed to do? It would be unspeakably rude and arrogant to walk away as if nothing had happened, but it would be terribly forward if she were to talk without being introduced. Her heart thumped wildly as she attempted to piece together the best possible solution.

Or, at the very least, the solution that would cause the least amount of damage socially.

Perhaps she could apologize briefly, and leave the situation? That surely wouldn't be considered too intimate, would it?

She cleared her throat, having made her decision. A voice echoed through the air, shattering the silence that filled the room.

But much to her surprise, it wasn't hers.

"Heinrich, this is Adalbert's niece, Elsa."

Heinrich stood up and bowed in a rather stiff manner. "Pleased to meet you." he said, his voice scarcely more than a murmur.

"It is wonderful to meet you as well." Elsa replied, with a slight curtsy and an artificial smile.

All of the people who stared intently seconds ago immediately resumed their own conversations and dances as the music once again picked up, and Elsa and Heinrich started a waltz.

And despite it not being clumsy, or intimate, or complicated, Elsa yearned for it to end the entire time.


	5. Chapter 5

Once the waltz was complete, Elsa felt a sense of relief wash over her. It _was_ true that she had decided whomever Heinrich was, she would marry him, but at the same time, it had never occurred to her that Heinrich would be a pale, lanky man with a voice as quiet as a mouse. Now, she had never been terribly romantic, but it was slightly disheartening to think that this was most likely how her life was going to end up.

Mm Elsa dragged herself to a small, unoccupied corner of the room, feeling drained. She was _trying_ to convince herself that the title and money would be well worth a union with such a man, but her emotions were refusing to let that happen. A _real_ lady would have been strong enough to sweep her disappointments under the rug, leaving no trace of any foolish, idealistic sentiments, but Elsa was not a real lady. She was indecisive, selfish, and emotionally driven.

A pair of footsteps approached suddenly from behind. Elsa whipped around, and came face to face with one of the last people she wanted to see at that moment.

The dark-haired boy.

"What do you want _this_ time?" Elsa spat. It came out a bit louder than she'd intended, but she scanned the room and was relieved to see that nobody noticed her emotional outburst.

"What are _you_ so upset about?" he prodded. This boy was either goading her to get upset, or looking for gossip, neither of which Elsa was going to fuel. So she decided that the best course of action was to give as little information as possible, and keep him and his pestering at arm's length.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Elsa said. "I'm rather tired from all of this dancing, and there is nothing more to it than that."

 _That certainly could have been better said..._ Elsa thought.

"Is that so?" the young man asked, quirking an eyebrow. In response, Elsa gave a curt nod, silently praying for the torturous encounter to end. She felt so vulnerable, as if she were made of glass, and ready to break at any instant. And she _hated_ it. The feeling of lack of control was unbearable, like she was on a train that had left its tracks in the direction of a cliff.

"Have you perhaps seen Countess Von Fürst? For a woman who has just been wed, she seemed terribly cozy with Viscount Achterburg." the young man chattered, veering the train into the tracks once again. "I don't believe I have." Elsa said, a smirk lighting up her face. "Could you perhaps be so kind as to point her out?"

Elsa smiled as she soared away to the crowds again. Truthfully, she _had_ enjoyed her time with the dark-haired boy, even though she shouldn't have. He wasn't as rude as she'd thought him only hours before, and she _was_ undeniably grateful that he wouldn't press further on her personal matters. And of course, he _did_ make her laugh. So even though she had only continued his conversation to save herself and say her thanks, she wished that she could spend more time talking to him.

After all, it didn't matter. He was merely an amusing distraction from her inevitable future, and she wouldn't ever see him again, anyways.


	6. Chapter 6

It was still the party season, and Elsa still had plenty more events to attend, so she was thankful that she did rather well at her first ball. Of course, that didn't mean she _wanted_ to attend her second one. She wasn't as nervous, of course, but at the same time, she was also excited for her first ball. Her main feelings towards her second ball could only be described as a sense of boredom and dread, a feeling of being constricted.

So Elsa distracted herself for the next few days, trying to find anything she could to keep her busy. She had lunches with her mother, she went for dress fittings, she even visited childhood acquaintances that she, quite frankly, had never intended on seeing again. But all of that could only last so long, and before she knew it, a maid was tightening her corset, and her blue silk _gown_ was being fitted onto her.

And after the sea of hands came again and made a few last improvements to her hair, her shoes, her clothes, she was whisked away to the ball, with hardly a second in between.

Elsa strolled into the main ballroom, attempting to carry that same air of confidence she did during her last ball. _She_ glanced around the room, looking for a familiar face to talk with, to dance with. Specifically, she was looking for Heinrich, as she would only prolong things by _not_ talking to him, but at the same time, she certainly didn't want to seem too desperate. She needed him for his title and money, so what would he need _her_ for? Nothing of course. But if she were to act as if she _didn't_ need him, perhaps she could confuse him into _thinking_ he needed her.

So, perhaps looking for him right away wasn't the best option, if she were to go about things strategically. Instead, even after spying him, she walked the other way, to a group of young debutantes whom she had recalled meeting at the last ball.

 ** _A few hours later..._**

Elsa had exhausted every conversation topic with everyone she could think of by now, and quite frankly, she was starting to lose hope. It was possible that Heinrich didn't wish to pursue anything with her, or even worse, he might have noticed her disinterest as she danced with him. She might have ruined things for herself through her potential transparency! She started to feel her chest tighten, and the room started to reel.

 _You're being silly._ She told herself. _You could always find another man with as much power and money, maybe even one who is what you've always wanted._

But before she had time to ponder the intricacies of her hypothetical courtship, Heinrich walked over and started to stutter out an invitation to dance.

Actually, make that a _request_. Heinrich didn't have enough confidence to make anything remotely close to an invitation.

Elsa acted as if she were pondering her answer for a moment, but accepted nonetheless.

And as she turned around on the floor, a chorus of wedding bells echoed in her head. Though to her, they could have just as well been trumpets of victory. But as she feigned a glance of coolness into the hallway, they stopped cold.

Because for a split second, she could have sworn she saw a peculiarly dressed youth with a head of dark hair.


	7. Chapter 7

Elsa, for the first time that night, felt encompassed by a sense of liveliness. Unaccustomed to it, she cherished the feeling, as it was so different from what she had felt for the majority of her life. Her days were occupied by boredom, by constriction, by ambition, and by feigned enjoyment. She had spent a life devoid of real feeling, and hardly looking forward to much. So even something small that she genuinely looked forward to could make her feel as if she were flying.

Her eyes snapped back to Heinrich, who luckily didn't seem hurt by her daydreaming. She supposed that there _was_ a silver lining in marrying a man this passive. She never liked being constricted, and would prefer a free life with a mousy husband to a heavily constricted life with a bolder husband any day. Of course, it _still_ wasn't the most preferable choice, but she was starting to notice more and more benefits.

And much to her own surprise, she decided to stay with Heinrich for a while afterwards. After all, there was no reason she _couldn't_ have her cake and eat it too. She could pursue a successful marriage, then slip out to see if the rapscallion from the other evening really _was_ there. So it was decided.

"So... How did you meet my mother?" Heinrich asked, an awkward attempt at conversation.

"She's an acquaintance of my uncle." Elsa said. "Do you hunt?" she asked, determined to keep the communication going.

"Not particularly." he replied. "I much prefer to read."

"So, you're more focused on work, then?" Elsa asked, raising an eyebrow in genuine interest.

"Oh, no. I would say I'm more interested in the abstract. Kant, Leibniz, Nietzsche, that sort of thing. I would much prefer to live a scholar than a businessman, actually."

"How terribly interesting! You're a true Renaissance man." Elsa said, hiding her joy behind her comment.

"Th-thank you." Heinrich replied, flushing slightly.

"The pleasure is all mine." Elsa said, flashing a smile.

Heinrich smiled nervously. "I do hope that we'll meet again."

"Well, you must call on me when you're available." Elsa stated. "I should like to see you again."

And with that, Elsa flounced off towards the hallway, feeling as if she had won a battle.

As her heels click-clacked down the marble floor, she gave herself a victorious smile in a mirror upon passing. She had truly found herself a profitable match. She would not only have a title, money, and freedom, but perhaps a seat in the company if she were to play her cards right! And those were what mattered, right?

...Right?

But at the same time, Elsa was still not a lady. A lady was not _this_ scheming and domineering. A lady would let her suitor steer the conversation. However, Elsa didn't mind all that much. She still had plenty of time to be a lady.

She would just have to start _after_ she walked down the aisle.

Elsa turned the corner, wondering if the glimpse of her witty acquaintance had been real. She could have just been thinking wishfully. And suppose somebody spotted her? She would have a troubling time explaining her reasons for being alone in an empty hallway. Someone might even call her a thief. Money wasn't as plentiful after her father's passing, after all.

Was it all worth it? She stopped and considered just that. Now of course she loved feeling lively, but was it enough to balance the risk? Her mother would surely not think so, and neither would any of her acquaintances. So she started to move towards the other direction.

"Fancy meeting you here."

Elsa whipped around wildly. There, leaning against a column and smirking, was the dark-haired youth.

"What are _you_ doing in a hallway of a debutante ball?" Elsa asked, laughing with amusement.

"I suppose I could ask the same about you." the young man retorted.

"Well..." Elsa began. "I was feeling a bit faint, so I decided to step out of the room and get some air." There was _no_ way that she was going to tell him the _real_ reason she was in that hallway. She didn't want to give him any satisfaction in that she truly enjoyed his company.

"Are you sure it wasn't because you missed my _charming_ personality?" he asked.

"Highly unlikely. You've got about as much charm as a wild boar." she joked.

They both snickered.


	8. Chapter 8

"So, what _are_ you doing here?" The dark-haired boy asked inquisitively. Elsa chewed her lip. She tried to think on her feet, find any plausible excuse. But she had already feigned faintness many times over, and there was nothing else that wouldn't be ruled out as a falsehood immediately.

So she did something she hadn't done in a while. She told the truth.

"I thought I saw you down this hallway, and I wanted to see if it was truly you. If I must be honest, everyone else at this party is a complete bore." she started, smiling awkwardly. "But you mustn't get too self-important about it. It's terribly hard me to say this as it is."

"I would _never_ get self-important." The boy said. "I already know that I'm brilliant, and quite frankly, I can't blame you for saying it."

"I can't believe I would _ever_ think such a thing." Elsa said, rolling her eyes.

"Do I detect a tone of sarcasm?"

"Why _of course_ not!"

"Of course, I _must_ have been hearing things."

Elsa smiled. She had never met anyone who had truly appreciated her sense of humour. The only comments upon it were from her mother, chastising her and telling her that proper ladies do not speak that way. So before long, she had stamped out her little habit, feeling quietly defeated. The truth is, however, Elsa wasn't a Lady, she was _much_ too witty and dry.

But nevertheless, she was enjoying herself too much to care.

"So, what brings you here?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, that's simple. Something exciting to pass the time. I'm not working tonight, and I figured, why not?"

"I should have known."

"So, I'm curious. Are you betrothed to anyone?"

She was taken aback by the comment, truthfully. It was considered one of the worst crimes in high-society to ask that question. But she had to remember, he wasn't a part of that lifestyle. He was an outsider, and though she _did_ enjoy his company, it certainly wasn't to _that_ extent.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I do hope to be betrothed soon, to a Baron Heinrich Schraeder."

He immediately started to laugh. Rather loudly, in fact. Elsa was incredibly confused at this, of course, as that wasn't a reaction remotely close to what she'd expected. The roguish youth glanced at her for a moment, and began to laugh even harder.

Elsa's confusion turned to anger at this point, as she didn't understand _what_ was so funny. She demanded to know, but this only caused him to laugh until he was gasping for air. Fuming, she opened her mouth to launch a retort, but was only stopped when he raised his hand, motioning for her to listen.

"It's-it's just that that wasn't what I meant at all!" he said between gasps. "I wanted to know because I was curious, and although you are _very_ lovely, I simply don't see you like that."

Elsa was quite relieved, but also very annoyed with herself. _What_ a way to appear self-important. She should have _known_.

"There's no malicious intent." the boy started again. "I simply thought it was rather humorous."

Elsa nodded. "Let us never speak of this again, however." she said in good humour.

The two of them chatted for a while longer, making fun of themselves and each other, exchanging gossip, chattering about everything and nothing. But eventually, Elsa remembered the the main reason she was at this event. She glanced towards the ballroom, knowing she had to go back.

After all, this boy was just a distraction, a fleeting moment in her life. She wouldn't even _remember_ him.

Alright, she _would_ find it difficult to forget someone who actually understood her. Someone who laughed at her jokes, who saw the real her, as opposed to the fabricated, bejewelled version of herself that had found a start in high society.

But she would blot out her feelings until she had forgotten that they even existed. She could do that. She was _good_ at it.

And realistically, he wouldn't remember her. Why _should_ he? He had become her first real friend, but she wouldn't make any impact on his life. She was just another person to laugh with, to be amused by his quick wit and admittable charm.

 _Oh, Elsa!_ Her head told her. _Why can't you just stop being so emotional for once!_

And quite frankly, her head was right. She was _completely_ overreacting. This night's excitement had gotten to her. She had to say her goodbyes to Heinrich, and leave.


	9. Chapter 9

The next few days for Elsa were filled with outings with old acquaintances, her mother, and various other people she'd met briefly at parties and such. It was all just a pretty distraction, a curtain between her and her sudden sentimentality from the last party. She wanted to forget _that_ as soon as possible, after all. She didn't know what could have caused it either, but she did know that as soon as she stopped living in the moment, as a blur of irresponsibility and avoiding the inevitable, everything that she was thinking before dissipated, and she was left feeling a fool.

A fool for passing up the opportunity to improve her reputation in society, her chances of marrying well.

A fool for letting anybody have power over her emotions.

And most importantly, a fool for thinking that she could ever be friends with a working-class person, and a male one at that. It could be so easily be spun into a scandal of the greatest degree if she had been less careful, or more accurately, less lucky.

She was eternally grateful that nothing had happened in her little moment of weakness- which she supposed had lasted her entire entrance into high society, and to thank whatever caused her luck in the situation, she vowed that from then on, she would be much, _much_ more careful and focused to achieving her goals.

* * *

"The weather certainly has been kind lately, hasn't it?" Elsa asked to Heinrich.

"I certainly agree." Heinrich stated. "But it makes no difference to me either way. I spend all my time signing paperwork, or in meetings, or on the telephone."

"My! A telephone! You must be a modern man to own such a device. Most families like ours don't even own one yet. In fact, my mother refuses under any conditions to allow one to ever be installed. She says it's not something that ladies should be using." Elsa laughed.

"My mother feels quite the same." Heinrich said jovially. "I had to explain that it was to be set up in my office, where I would only use it for work, just so she wouldn't cause a fuss. I'm afraid I truly disagree, however. A telephone would be a terribly useful addition to any family's life, I don't see much cause for complaint over it."

"I must say, you never struck me as the sort to be so interested in the latest technologies; you seemed more scholarly."

"Can't I be both?" Heinrich inquired. "Or at least, a scholar who uses a telephone while working?"

Elsa felt herself smile; it wasn't a big smile, or a laugh, but it was mostly genuine, and she did find his attempt at humour a bit charming, though not really in the way she would have wanted from the man she was to marry.

"I suppose." she said. "And speaking of your work, how is it?"

"Terribly busy." Heinrich said. "There are a lot of deals to be made this season, so we must keep production up. You seem very interested in my work, especially for a woman."

Elsa felt herself tense inside at his words. The last thing she wanted as a wife was to relive every day of her current life, with inane lunches and sitting by while her husband did all of the management.

"I suppose I am." she quipped, trying brush off his comment.

"I don't mind much, however." he said. "I never really was interested in it myself, anyway."

Elsa smiled inwardly at his offhand remark. She still did not feel anything towards Heinrich, yet the proposition of marriage was becoming more ideal by the minute. She did not love him, and most likely never would, but they would make a good alliance. That _was_ , after all, what marriages were, deep down.

But of course, she would have to avoid this topic fervently for now; she didn't want to let him know how much control he had in their dynamic, no matter how much it seemed that he didn't care about it.

"And does your family know of this?" she asked, certain that such a question would be a good distraction.

"Well, my immediate family knows that I prefer books to company deals, but they don't say much, as long as I continue to do what's expected of me."

Elsa felt an odd realization at his words. They were much more alike than she would have originally assumed, at least in _that_ way.

Of course, the main difference was that she was far less willing to go along; she would only obey until she was able to do as she wished.

She nodded supportively to him, unable to think of what to say.

He gave a small smile. "It's alright. It isn't your fault that I would rather be doing something else." he said, playing off his earlier remark in a light manner.

"Nonetheless, it must be terribly hard." she lied.

If he had noticed anything in her demeanour at any point that suggested she had knowledge on his experience- _an idea that Elsa very much doubted_ , he showed no signs of anything short of cluelessness.

And by the end of their luncheon, she had secured an invitation to meet at the next ball of the season, which proved that no matter what he knew of her, it was working in her favour.


	10. Chapter 10

The majority of the season afterwards passed without a hitch; she had transformed into one of the newest darlings of high society, things seemed to be progressing rather nicely with Heinrich, and even if things _didn't_ work out between them, she had a small boatload of others who could take his place.

She was finally winning, and it felt glorious. Glorious in a superficial sense, mind you, like a decoration shining on an officer's uniform, but even then, it was incredibly satisfying to see one's hard work pay off.

It was arguably far better than the kind of bliss wrought from undying romantic love, or the bonds of true friendship. Because even if it wasn't satisfying in the long run, it was unlike undying love because love required a person to show their most vulnerable side, to be daring enough to take a chance. And even though superficial success faded quickly, it didn't leave a person crushed and broken in the aftermath.

To her, it didn't seem worth the risk. And while her cynicism and practicality were what divided her from _real_ society ladies, she wasn't scared. If there was one thing she would remember from her short friendship with the dark-haired youth, it was that she wasn't alone in that respect. Together, they had observed people who had been part of the elite _far_ longer than she was, people who did unbecoming things when they thought nobody was paying attention. She'd learned that high society was riddled with people who, like her, left parts of their fundamental being in the shadows.

* * *

And soon came the night that her hard work would _truly_ pay off. The final ball of the season, where she hoped Heinrich would propose. Because after that point, people would flock back to their estates in the country and start the cycle anew. She only had this night, if she wanted to avoid waiting months upon months for a proposal. So she smoothed out her satin dress, and joined a conversation about a romance novel she'd read, but didn't care for.

She surprised herself by being an active participant in the conversation, though it was likely just to occupy herself while waiting for her hopefully-soon-to-be-fiancé. He had to be coming any minute. _If only just to save her from this dull conversation_.

He arrived scarcely ten minutes later, caught her eye, and gingerly stepped over, without even the sound of footsteps. She decided she would take this as her cue, and the two whirled off in a dance.

It took about 3 minutes before either of them said a word, though it was not because Elsa was at a loss for words. Instead, she was focused on giving subtle glances and feather-light touches. She needn't seem _too_ talkative after all. It was already fairly evident what her intentions were; talking at this moment would make her seem desperate.

He smiled down shyly, and spun her around gently.

"I must say, it's lovely to see you again."

"I rather feel the same, I confess. I found myself missing your kindness and wit. You're far easier to talk to than most of my business partners."

Kindness, she could understand, but wit? It was a bit of a surprise to hear that he enjoyed her wit. Or even that he noticed it. She had kept an active grip on her off-color sense of humour, and she could have sworn that no comments had slipped through. But that that point, she realized that _his_ definition of wit was probably very different from hers.

"Oh? And how _is_ your work going?"

"It's something to do, as always. I feel the same as I did as a boy, when I would get excited every time that my lessons were over."

She smiled. "I suppose in some ways, we never really change. But it truly _is_ a terrible shame that you have so little interest in your work."

* * *

The idle chatter ebbed and flowed through many topics, never reaching any territory that could provoke emotions, but never offending, nonetheless. And after a few dances, Elsa was unsure as to whether she should switch partners or continue dancing. She didn't know as to whether switching would make him think her rather flighty.

And and change his view of her, or whether it would reinforce the idea that she was appealing to many.

But in the meantime, she was unable to hear a group of old acquaintances calling her over, and mistaking her thought for apprehension, Heinrich pulled her closer- _but a respectable distance, mind you_ , and whispered "If you're worried about me, you really shouldn't be. Go and join them."

And as she traversed the dance floor, she wondered how her chances of marriage were affected by this Belle Époque-esque martyrdom.

* * *

"Me? I've had an absolutely lovely time this season, but how about you, Elsa? You haven't said a thing about what you've been up to."

"Oh, I've been reconnecting with old friends of the family, nothing much." she said, hiding a smile. "But I simply must beg my leave now. I feel a bit faint."

Now that wasn't entirely false. The stress of the potential proposal had left her feeling jittery and odd for the whole night, and her corset felt much too tight, but she merely wanted a chance to talk to Heinrich again before the night ended. So on her way to the balcony, she stopped by Heinrich again, and merely announced that she would be outside.

And as she strolled across the balcony, she felt a sense of satisfaction creep across her. Truly she hadn't thought of it before, but an excuse that required fresh air was quite clever. The relatively empty balcony made for a rather picturesque place to talk in privacy, which could definitely quicken matters towards the direction of marriage.

And all she'd have to do was wait. And stop worrying. She leaned her upper torso up against the railing to feel the breeze and closed her eyes. And even though the summer heat was suffocating when paired with her layers of undergarment, she let herself stop thinking for only a minute, and she felt the weight of her dress disappear as her mind floated into the sky.

* * *

But just as it did with Aschenputtel, peace could only last so long, before the time started to run out, and she started to become concerned. The breeze was no more, and instead, she just felt suffocated. Deep down, she had this sick nagging that she was going to return home just as she had before the season. That she would resume to her life, and the season would remain like a fairyland- a time when she thought that she had a chance. At least until she met Heinrich again, which could take months, if not years. In that time, she'd most likely be able to find someone else.

The balcony was completely empty. She decided it would be best to just leave then, and spare herself some humiliation.

At least until Heinrich approached, with a small box in hand.

* * *

Of course she said yes. And now, she walked down the front steps, sizing up how the name _'Baroness Elsa Schraeder'_ sounded. Frankly, it didn't make her heart flutter, but she had to admit, she liked the sound. It rang through her head, time and time again, like victory bells, as she waited for her chauffeur to arrive. Of course, that meant that her heeled shoe dug itself into the gravel drive, and she lost balance, falling into a shadowed figure.

"I must ask your apology, that was rather-"

And then she was speechless, for she had once again run into the dark-haired youth.

"Fancy meeting you here."

"Oh, be quiet." she replied, though it was obviously in good nature.

"I see that you got what you wished for." he stated with a mocking edge, receiving only a puzzled stare in response.

"You _are_ a spoken-for woman, are you not?"

"Ah, yes. I'm to be the next Baroness Schraeder, you see."

"Then I must be sure to keep in with you."

"I'm sure you will." she stated between chuckles. She wished she could entertain it. But a friendship between classes quite like _that_ would be more trouble than it was worth keeping. And either way, she could see her chauffeur out of the corner of her eye.

"My car is here now." she started. "But may I ask your name?"

"It's Maximillian Detweiller."


	11. Chapter 11

_October, 1934_

* * *

Elsa smiled a rather bittersweet smile as she thought back to that season long ago, when she first met her husband, now her late husband. His health was always fairly poor, but nobody had expected him to die only in his forties. But then again, nobody _ever_ truly does.

Elsa, of course, did miss him, but compared to all of the others during the funeral, she had always felt sort of numb. And it wasn't actually the biggest surprise to her. She never _did_ love him like a husband, after all. He was more of an ally, and _perhaps_ a friend.

She walked across the empty drawing room, still donning her purple half-mourning dress, and sat at the window, her eyes falling upon a box of cigars. It brought back yet another memory, and all she could do was let it wash over her.

* * *

 _It was an evening in late spring, 1927. Elsa had, by that point, taken control of her husband's corporation in almost everything but name. But that night was a particularly memorable night in terms of her relationship with the corporation, indeed._

 _Heinrich's health had taken yet another turn for the worse, but this time, he was unable to even take dinner meetings. So on his behalf, she had taken dinner alone with some influential and powerful prospective business allies. And after dinner, Elsa had joined the men in the drawing room, as opposed to spending the evening alone in a sitting room._

 _It truly was an odd sight to see, a group of four men in the drawing room with a woman in a drop-waist gown, the entire scene bathed in cigar smoke._

 _"No, Herr Diefenbach, what you don't understand is that by expanding our office in Salzburg, we have a chance to cut costs in the long-term, not to mention the time it would save and the profit it would generate!"_

 _"I simply don't think that you're keeping in mind the risk it would pose at first. A bold move like that would cost a lot, and could potentially spell downfall if it doesn't pan out."_

 _"But what you're not realizing is that we already have a sizeable amount of people there who are willing to pay already. Now if you don't mind, could you please hand me a cigar?"_

 _But, more used to smoking cigarettes, Elsa instinctively inhaled, and ended up in a coughing fit. The others found the whole thing rather amusing, and by the time she had recovered, Elsa found herself trapped in the same amusement as the others, her bobbed head jerking rather violently with the laughter._

* * *

She had always thought it had been a stroke of luck that Heinrich showed more interest in philosophy than his own company, and especially that he didn't mind that her interest seemed to more than make up for his lack thereof. In all, they had worked together quite well, but there was never an immediate connection on her part. _Like there was with Max_.

Come to think of it, the season that she had met Heinrich was the exact same season in which she had met her dear old friend. She smiled, thinking back to how terribly wrong she was when she thought that a friendship between the two of them could never work. And how, to this day, he was still the one who understood her the most by far.

Not to mention how he made her laugh.

In fact, come to think about it, it would soon be time to shed her half-mourning clothes, and she didn't want to be alone forever. _Why not Max?_ She thought, expecting to find the whole idea ridiculous. However, it didn't sound like an entirely bad plan. And the more she thought about it, the more she found the idea to be appealing. In fact, she even thought she might perhaps... _fancy it?_

 _Oh, dear Lord_. She thought. _You love him_.

Her first instinct was to say that she was mistaken. That it was a combination of loneliness and champagne talking, and not her. But the more she looked back, the more she realized that it may have always been there, even just a little bit. After all, she wouldn't be so inclined to leave her prospective fiancé behind, while rushing out into the hallway to see a _friend_?

But the more she thought about her new feelings, the more she realized that she could never act on it. Because no matter how much she may love him, she also loved money, and security, and titles. And not being the subject of scandal.

So it was decided. She would pursue someone else. Perhaps Baron Knockenmus. Or maybe the recently widowed Baron Von Trapp?

Either way, she knew what she had to do, and was prepared to do it without a second thought, like ladies in her position were supposed to. She would wait until the appropriate amount of time had passed, and then she would try to secure a proposal.

Elsa Schraeder _was_ a lady, after all. But at what cost?


	12. Chapter 12

_November, 1938_

* * *

Elsa stretched across the hotel room's chaise longue, donning a dressing gown. A quick glance in the mirror told her that her hair was a mess, and that she didn't have an ounce of makeup on her face. And yet she had never felt more confident in her life.

She smiled rather absentmindedly, and strolled towards the bureau. It _was_ getting quite late, and she should really be getting dressed, as she was set to go to lunch soon. Especially since she was having lunch with Max- though she had a feeling that he wouldn't be able to blame her for any lateness _today_.

But nonetheless, she still had standards for herself. And no matter the day, she would follow them. So she shook herself out of her still-slightly-asleep daze, and looked for something a bit sensible and businesslike- yet utterly stylish nonetheless.

And as she was getting ready, she realized that _she_ was changing, as everything else was. Just a few months ago, she would have been more diligent about this sort of thing. No time was spent lolling around, and every choice had a specific purpose intended.

But then again, just a few months ago, she was courting Georg Von Trapp. And everyone knew how _that_ turned out for her.

It was actually not long after that when she realized that perhaps she was fading out of splendor. Not completely, of course; that would _never_ happen- but maybe, just _maybe_ , she was falling from her golden world just a tiny bit.

And maybe, just _maybe_ , she didn't entirely mind.

Yes, she _knew_ that the years of glittering smiles, and charming, rich bachelors, and managing every tiny move she made were a finished chapter in her life. She was no longer the same Elsa as she was then, _that's_ for certain. But that was perfect, because that summer in Aigen made her realize that she was getting older, and no longer wanted the things that accompanied that life. They were still nice to have, of course, but she had gotten tired of having a life where the _only_ thing that mattered was that beautiful emptiness. It was all rather hollow and short-lasting.

Perhaps it came from watching Georg fall in love with that little governess. Or perhaps she was going soft. But either way, she had wanted _more_. And for the first time in her life, she was willing to pay the price that substance cost, no matter the risks.

Not that she was ever going to become domestic, or have lots of children- because she knew that she would never change _that_ much- but it didn't necessarily mean she had to live a life like that, either. And judging by the way everything had gone recently, that wouldn't be an issue.

It was all rather refreshing. Not just the unexpected epiphany she'd had earlier, but also the change of scenery that greeted her as she left the hotel. Vienna was lovely this time of year, but a little holiday never hurt anyone. Especially _now_.

Which is why it surprised her to see Baroness Heppenheimer, though she shouldn't have been surprised. She had just recently received that telegram from her, saying that she'd be in Carinthia for a little while, and yet she'd never really expected to run into her. And because of that, she'd somehow ended up listening to the birdlike woman prattle on and on about how she and her husband were doing. It felt like forever before the subject turned to gossip, for which Elsa was grateful. Baroness Heppenheimer may have been notorious for talking about herself, but nobody could say that she didn't have a good ear for gossip.

The problem still was, however, that you couldn't get her to stop once she started. And considering that Elsa had only 15 minutes to get to the restaurant if she wanted to be on time, it was a rather pertinent issue.

Why, oh _why_ did she only run across this woman when she had something urgent to do?

But in the end, she managed to save herself with a rather convoluted excuse, which Baroness Heppenheimer mercifully bought.

And while it wasn't ideal, she was able to make it to the restaurant only 5 minutes late.

"I must apologize for being late, I ran into Baroness Heppenheimer on the way here."

"You needn't say more."

She gave him a smile of gratitude and gently squeezed his hand.

"However, I'm not saying I would mind if you _did_."

"Alright, but _only_ because you asked. She talked about what she and her husband were up to for what felt like eons, and then the subject turned to gossip."

"And?"

"Nothing involving us, but apparently Baroness Hildebrand just caught her sister having an affair with her husband. And somehow, they let it slip that it had been happening under her nose for the past two years!"

"Even for Baron Hildebrand, that's witless!"

"And by this point, I knew that it was getting rather late to be standing around and talking. So I told her that my niece's cousin was getting anxious about her wedding, and that there wasn't anyone else around to help her through it."

"But my dear, you're an only child."

"She didn't seem to notice."

"My, you certainly are devious, _Frau Detweiller_."

* * *

 _ **AN: I would like to say thank you to everyone who read this, especially all of you who commented, followed, and favourited! This story has just been so much fun to write, and it's been a great journey to increase my skills as a writer (as I hadn't written anything prior to this on this site). Elsa and Max have been my favourite characters in TSoM for a while now, and I've lowkey shipped them since I was young. Oh, and special thanks to gothicbutterfly95, for reviewing every chapter! But seriously, everyone who took the time to read this has been great, and I look forward to writing more for this fandom, along with many others!**_


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